We begin our service with prayer, as one body, to express gratitude towards our Heavenly Father, adoration of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and our utter dependence on the Holy Spirit as we gather to worship. We humbly lay before the Lord our longing for Him, and we acknowledge that it is only through Jesus that we can come before Him in worship this morning.

A Call To Worship emphasizes the worthiness of God; that He is deserving of all praise and adoration. We acknowledge that it is God who invites us into worship, not the other way around! In fact, we acknowledge that worship has already been happening throughout our week, and we come together, as brothers, sisters, parents and grandparents in Christ to continue worshipping our Great Savior!

A proper response to the revelation of God in His word is praise and adoration. We proclaim the worthiness of God in receiving all praise and glory. It is in recognizing His true character that propels our hearts to sing in joyful adoration to Him.

In recognizing who God truly is, we also recognize who we truly are. We recognize that we are a sinful people, not only individually, but corporately as well. The Holy Spirit reminds us, in 1 John 1:8, that no one is without sin. Confession of sin, both individually and corporately, is an admission that we are in need of great mercy on a continual basis.

The good news of the gospel is that Jesus bore the penalty for our sins. The Holy Spirit tells us in Romans 8:1 that, for those who are in Jesus, there is now no condemnation. Though we are a sinful people, in Christ, we are forgiven! We are not forgiven so that we may continue to walk in a sinful lifestlye, but we are now free to walk in holiness. What great assurance we have in the person and work of Jesus, our Savior!

Thankfulness flows from the hearts of forgiven people. We did nothing to deserve forgiveness. We did nothing to deserve the mercy of God. In fact, all that we have is a gift from the Lord, including Christ! We offer then to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving.

Having acknowledged who God is, who we are, our great need for forgiveness, the grace of God revealed specifically in the person and work of Jesus, and having given thanks for all that we have in Jesus, we are now prepared to hear from the Lord how we might better walk in a manner that is worthy of the gospel.

We respond, not only to the word of instruction, but also to the service as a whole. A time of response may include a song or prayer. It may be a song of joy or supplication. No matter the avenue by which we may respond, it is in light of the gospel of Christ by which we may be saved; it is in response to His glory and for His glory alone.

The benediction, sometimes referred to as the Charge, is both a charge to walk in the power of the Spirit, and an acknowledgment that it is only God who can supply the grace needed to walk in such a way. On Communion Sundays, our benediction becomes a song of rejoicing in our hope of eternal life through faith in Jesus.